It was only Cisco (distributed) that couldn't support multiple BSSIDs. Aruba, Cisco (centralized from Airespace), Colubris, Proxim, Symbol, Siemens (Chantry), and Trapeze have all supported it for quite some time. That adds an additional beacon, consuming more airtime (where it used to be 1 beacon per 100 ms, now it's one for every BSSID per 100 ms), but Microsoft's development of WPS IE should hopefully reduce the problem.
Frank -----Original Message----- From: Scholz, Greg [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 2:52 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] SSIDs: broadcast and non-broadcast Stan, Franks comment was "you might as well just broadcast the SSID and make life easier for all the mobile clients involved" And my response was "I do not think one AP can broadcast more than one SSID so what do you do if you have/want/need more than one?" I know in any modern AP I have looked at, you can have multiple SSIDs configured and map them to individual VLans in a switch/controller or "fat AP" scenario, but I still have not seen/heard of any APs being able to broadcast multiple SSIDs. _________ Thanks, Greg 358-2070 -----Original Message----- From: Stan Brooks [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 3:35 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] SSIDs: broadcast and non-broadcast Greg, What Frank was alluding to was the ability of some APs and most WLAN switch/controller-based systems to support multiple SSIDs - also called Virtual WLANs. To get consistent and acceptable client connectivity, the APs/WLAN controllers should support unique BSSIDs (wireless MAC addresses) for each SSID. At Emory, we are using Aruba equipment quite successfully to present multiple SSIDs for guest access and WPA/WPA2. Each SSID gets mapped to a specific VLAN and has different authentication and access rights. >>-> Stan Brooks - CWNA/CWSP Emory University Network Communications Division 404.727.0226 [EMAIL PROTECTED] AIM: WLANstan Yahoo!: WLANstan MSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------- Original Message -------- From: Scholz, Greg Date: 7/10/2006 3:15 PM > I am surprised no one has brought up the issue of only being able to > broadcast one SSID. What do you do if you need/want more than one. > > We currently only have one and Franks comment makes sense in that > scenario. However, assuming that we can only broadcast one, how do you > differentiate wireless if needed? > What I am hoping to achieve in the near future is 3 classes of service > (Fac/Staff, Student, and guest). (note: we use CCA for reshalls here) > Fac/staff can use their campus owned laptop and will be able to pass > right over to a VPN to get "into the network". CCA can exempt devices > we choose (e.g. campus run laptops) > Students can use their same CCA credentials to log in and use the > wireless in exactly the same manner as in the res halls. This will give > them a more consistent experience. > Guests will only be able to click "guest" in CCA and get 80 (maybe 443 > and IPSec - do not know yet) out to the world. > If a student selects the Fac/Staff SSID they would fail the login so > could not go anywhere and the same is true if a Fac/Staff selects the > student SSID. > > _________ > Thanks, > Greg > 358-2070 > > -----Original Message----- > From: Frank Bulk [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 2:51 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] SSIDs: broadcast and non-broadcast > > In an educational network where you're not try to leverage (erroneously) > the > SSID as a security tool you might as well just broadcast the SSID and > make > life easier for all the mobile clients involved -- why not? > > Frank > > -----Original Message----- > From: Jorge Bodden [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 8:22 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] SSIDs: broadcast and non-broadcast > > Jim, > > Yes, I have run into one particular problem when an SSID is not > broadcast. We call it a 'code 18", where the problem is 18 inches away > from the monitor. :-) > > I have found that it is quite difficult for people who do not have some > experience with wireless, to set up their wireless devices when an SSID > is not being broadcast. You may be asking too much from the general > public to force their device to search for the SSID. > > If the SSID is going to be used by the general then you might want to > broadcast it, in order to minimize the calls to your helpdesk. > > Jorge > > Jim Gogan wrote: >> Quick question: has anyone run into any support issues when some SSIDs > >> are broadcast and some aren't on a campus? >> >> -- Jim Gogan >> ITS Telecommunications >> University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill >> >> ********** >> Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE >> Constituent Group discussion list can be found at >> http://www.educause.edu/groups/. > > > > > -------------------- > > This electronic message is intended to be for the use only of the named > recipient, and may contain information that is confidential or > privileged. > If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any > disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the contents of this message > is > strictly prohibited. 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